Forty years after the first effort to extract mummy DNA, researchers have finally generated a full genome sequence from an ancient Egyptian, who lived when the earliest pyramids were built

The oldest known Egyptian DNA sample, from a man who lived between 4,500 to 4,800 years ago, offers new insights into the potential ancestry of those who belonged to the enduring civilization.

Ancient DNA has revealed a genetic link between the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia , according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature . Researchers sequenced whole genomes from the teeth of a remarkably well-preserved skeleton found in a sealed funeral pot in an Egyptian tomb site dating to between 4,